1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a media guide for use in combination with a printer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,256, entitled Device for Printing Data, issued to Theodorus Gerhardus Potma, Egbertus Nicholas Bijkerk and Marius Ouirijnen on May 9, 1978, teaches a paper guide which cooperaes with the section of a chart after it has been disengaged from a first and second pair of tractors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,162, entitled Feed Mechanism, issued to Leo J. Hubbard on July 23, 1974, teaches a mechanism for feeding documents having perforations along their marginal edges which has frames that define linear paths for endless belts for curvilinear motion around and away from the ends of the linear paths. The belts have unitary pin and roller drive elements which extend through perforations in the belts at equidistant intervals theralong. The feed mechanism includes sprockets which are supported by the frame and journaled therein in order to carry the belts around the curvilinear paths.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,162 also teaches a media guide which secures the perforated print medium between itself and the endless belt of each drive mechanism. This media guide is a rectangular member which has a rectangular slot running longitudinally through its centerline in order to be lined up with the linear path of the unitary pins. It is not practical to use this media guide when the print medium does not travel in a linear path.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,298, entitled Wire Matrix Print Head Particularly For High Speed Printer, issued to Robert D. Kodis on Mar. 5, 1974, shows a paper guide as do both U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,448 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,886.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,884 entitled Ink Jet Printer, issued to Frederick M. Demer on Jan. 22, 1974, teaches a paper guide plate which curves upward at the front of an ink jet printer and extends across the ink jet printer. This paper guide has three spring fingers which hold the paper against the platen bar.
None of the above-mentioned media guides are of a simple construction. They all have too many components and are therefore expensive to manufacture and to maintain.